Limerick Civil Defence donate two ambulances to Ukraine

LIMERICK Civil Defence are donating two fully equipped ambulances to provide medical support in Ukraine.

This Friday, July 19 members and volunteers will transport the decommissioned ambulances to Dublin and present them to the charitable foundation Gurtom UA. This donation follows an appeal for ambulances and other medical equipment issued by the foundation earlier this year.

The two donated vehicles will be given to paramedics in Ukraine for the evacuation of wounded soldiers and civilians in the war zone. One will be transferred to ASAP Rescue Ukraine, while the other will be transferred to the National Guard of Ukraine for paramedics in the Zaporizhzhia region.

The two ambulances, which have been with Limerick Civil Defence since 2008 and 2017, were recently decommissioned after two new purpose-built replacement ambulances were delivered to the medical response service in January.

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Limerick City and County Council (LCCC) is responsible for delivering the services of Limerick Civil Defence. 

Director general of the council Dr Pat Daly says: “Limerick Civil Defence staff and volunteers were instrumental in setting up emergency rest centres when Ukrainian people fleeing the war first arrived here. The donation of these two ambulances is an extension of their desire to offer assistance to Ukraine and as a Council we are delighted to support this initiative. 

“The two ambulances may have reached the end of their use for Limerick Civil Defence but they have a full service history and are fully stocked with medical equipment, so they can be fully operational on arrival in Ukraine.”

Cecilia O’Flaherty, civil defence officer of LCCC added: “The two ambulances are equipped with stretchers, pillows, blankets, suction units, an ECG monitor, helmets, backboards and we are looking through our stores for other items that we can include.

"These ambulances have provided great service to the Limerick public and being able to donate them to Ukraine is really rewarding for the staff and volunteers. I am sure they will do a lot of good work in Ukraine.””